It’s our first Kickstarter recap of 2019, and like many of you, I (Nick S) was resetting board game stats as the clock struck midnight on January 1. I had a good year in terms of plays (500+), different games played (140+), and 10X10 (I finished with an 11X11), but this year, I had some different board game resolutions and thought I would share some here.When it comes to game plays, I’ll look for quality over quantity – I get how 10X10’s create accountability and encourage you to consistently get a game you enjoy to the table, but I found myself, especially near the end, playing some games more out of obligation than a desire to play them. It took some games that I enjoy and turned them more into work than recreation. I didn’t like that. I’d rather have 5 plays of a game that liked than 10 plays of a game that I was forcing to the table when I really wanted to play something else. I’m going to be content with the current – As a reviewer, I feel a pressure to have my finger constantly on the pulse of the board gaming industry. And this pressure (completely self-inflicted) has created a feeling of needing to play/own/Instagram the newest and hottest games. But when I consider the quantity of game released each year, and the fact that I only play a fraction of a fraction of the thousands of new titles released each year, I can’t help but think that I may have missed out on a great game simply because I was always looking ahead at what was coming out rather than what was available around me. This is not to say that I won’t play/buy/back new games in 2019 (I’m already looking forward to the upcoming Kickstarter for Keymaster Games’ Parks), but I am going to try and slow down, be more discerning in the new games I pick up, and take time to enjoy what is here now. I want to describe the smokey flavor – I don’t frequent restaurants with sommeliers, but in the instances I have, I found them to be equal parts funny and helpful – funny because I can never identify the subtle tastes that they describe (though I fake it) like smokey undertones or “chewy”, but helpful because they do pair your tastes (fruity, dry, etc.), with the food you ordered (beef, chicken, salad, etc.), and consider your budget to recommend the best wine that fits within those parameters. I want to be a board game sommelier. I want to be able to describe and discuss the subtle intricacies of a game with those in the hobby, but also take the themes, mechanisms, and budget of a new hobbyist and point them to a game they would enjoy. I want to champion the little(ish) guy – In my top 10 of 2018, about half were games from independent, or at least what I would consider smaller, publishers. I wouldn’t describe the games as underrated because the times that I did hear about them from third parties, it was positive, but maybe instead these games were underrepresented. I thought that Thundergryph Games’ Spirits of the Forest, Keymaster Games’ Space Park, and Overworld Games’ Barker’s Row were all terrific games and should have received much more praise and recognition. If I come across a game in 2019 that is great, but not getting the attention of other bigger titles, I’ll bring them up. That’s it. Did you have any New Year’s resolutions for board gaming? If you’d like to share your resolutions or have thoughts on anything discussed above, let us know on the Everything Board Games Facebook page or on Twitter at @ETBoardgames. Now for the first Kickstarter recap of 2019. The game receiving the most votes this week is War of the Worlds: The New Wave by Grey Fox Games. Set several years following the alien invasion described in H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, WotW:TNW has humans trying to preserve their lives against the alien invaders. WotW:TNW is a 2-player deck builder for players 10 and up. One player commanding the alien invaders, and the other human defense units. Currently 460% funded, War of the Worlds: The New Wave has with 20 days left in its campaign. The next game this week was my pick, New Salem 2nd Edition by Overworld Games. This bluffing and deduction game for 3-8 players, pits the puritans verses the witches as both sides try to keep their identities secret while at the same time constructing buildings to increase the hope or despair of the town. The players also take turns as the constable that they can use to trigger certain events such as a purge or pardon, which can further convolute or reveal their identity. More than the run of the mill social deduction game, New Salem 2nd Edition is currently 177% funded with 20 days to go. The final staff pick this week is Tsuro: Phoenix Rising by Calliope Games. The third in the Tsuro series, Phoenix Rising has 2-8 players take on the role of a Phoenix searching for glowing lanterns and using them to create stars in the night sky. While the basic game play is like the previous Tsuro titles, Phoenix rising adds double-sided path tiles that allow for diagonal movement and can be flipped and rotated to help players reach their destinations. Players will also have the ability of rising their phoenix from the ashes and return to the board. Tsuro: Phoenix Rising is currently 420% funded with 29 days to go. Other games and game related Kickstarters receiving votes this week are Promo Paradise (2,578% funded with 18 days to go) and Circadians: First Light (594% funded with 18 days to go). Thanks for checking out our Kickstarter picks for the week and if something caught your eye that wasn’t listed, be sure and let us know on the Everything Board Games Facebook page, or on Twitter at @ETBoardgames.